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Sziget Festival

This festival is held on a sandy island in the middle of the Danube, in Budapest. It's not a small island or a small festival though, it has about 1000 performances to it, with sounds spanning genres from folk to blues to jazz to world music to dance to rock on the big stages. This is a serious festival and expect big names in all genres from R.E.M. to Fatboy Slim, to the Foo Fighters and the Buena Vista Social Club Orquesta. It also has some Burning Man style tripped out amusement park events if all that music isn't enough to drive you to ecstasy.

If you really want to arrive in the spirit of things the festival has a 'party train' with resident DJs that will transport you eastwards to the appropriate soundtrack. It's supposed to work out cheaper than the larger UK festivals, and it certainly does if you try and enter via the river – swimming or paddling – but that's not recommended and if you get your tent wet you're going to be at risk of having a miserable time. You can stay on the island, but lots of people opt to stay in Budapest thus guaranteeing a hot shower and clean toilets.

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Comments, reviews and questions by other travellers

The Best Festival Ever

I made many European festivals and a road trip through Europe in 2009 took me in Hungary and to Sziget festival.

It was amazing! The festival is in the heart of Budapest on an island on the middle of river Danube, creating a special atmosphere with the unique mixture of party, city and nature.

It is the longest festival, 7 days of music, cultural programs and exhibitions. But it is also the largest with 400,000 persons from everywhere in the world and the most diverse line up, you will find what you like in every hour of the day on one of the 30 stages of the Island.

You add a huge Party Arena and some parties places with several DJs 24h/7, cheap drinks and food.

I finished this experience in one of the bath of the city on Monday afternoon after few days without sleeping.